It is my sincere desire that if you have a struggling reader or your child is beginning to learn to read you will read through this entire blog post.

If you have been keeping up with the latest news in education reform you’ll most likely have “Common Core State Standards” buzzing around in your head. CCSS, a U.S. education initiative, is or will be affecting the way your children learn core subjects like reading and math. So what are the Common Core State Standards and are they beneficial to our children? Well, an alarming number of parents have little knowledge of them and even fewer know the research and principles that are behind them.

The lack of understanding has brought some doubts about whether this initiative will bring positive change in education. To be honest, since the beginning of an organized system of schooling many initiatives for education reform have been proposed and implemented with the majority having less than satisfactory results. It is no wonder parents and the public are a little hesitant of another initiative. Now parents, before you tune out and say there is nothing to learn from the CCSS initiative, I’d like you to hear me out.

Common Core State Standards and other learning initiatives we’ve seen in the past all have or had the intent of bettering education in some form.  They’re typically backed by extensive research and assessment, and a lot of time is dedicated by professionals to figure out what makes education effective. It isn’t my goal to determine why these reforms sometimes fail despite the efforts made. I’d rather focus on the research and assessment that’s done in the name of these initiatives, particularly the research done on reading instruction, and see what we can learn from them.

In 2001, Reading First (another initiative) had high hopes of changing education for the better. A body of professionals was gathered, called the National Reading Panel, and they set out to find the most effective ways to teach reading. The panel’s research did in deed find out the most effective approaches to reading instruction, but like CCSS, parents knew very little about the approaches and how to apply them.

What is known by the panel and those who created the CCSS, but not to parents and the general public, was that five key skills largely predict reading success. Those skills are: phonemic awareness, phonics instruction, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension; which the panel dubbed, “The Five Pillars of Reading.” The research the panel gathered showed that to effectively teach the five pillars, instruction needed to be taught in an explicit, systematic way. Students who saw the greatest success in reading were taught in a sequence that allowed them to understand more fundamental parts of language first (phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency) and then build an understanding of the more complex parts of language (vocabulary, grammar, and full-text comprehension). The research gathered by these initiatives show a consistent pattern of instruction that creates strong readers, regardless of ability or age.

This wasn’t the first time professionals gathered this information and had an “Ah-ha!” moment. Nearly a hundred years prior, an approach was created from extensive research on children with reading disadvantages. This approach, called the Orton-Gillingham Approach, not only used that same consistent pattern for successful reading instruction, it has been effectively helping the most struggling readers for over 75 years. The Orton-Gillingham approach is the most well-known and used approach for struggling readers. However, it’s used largely in remediation programs instead of a standard approach to teaching reading.

If we’ve known what works for so long, why haven’t we been able to improve our illiteracy rates and reading scores? The answer is that research done by these large initiatives is unknown to most parents and the principles found in the Orton-Gillingham approach are mostly used in remediation. Parents are lacking the knowledge of key principles of effective literacy instruction and how to apply them. This lack of understanding isn’t something we can quickly fix, but as parents we can make an individual effort to learn more about effective reading strategies. There are so many resources available to learn these principles. Reading Horizons has several free resources and there are plenty more available on the web and at your local library. To start, get to know what the Common Core State Standards are for Reading. Last month we had a webinar on the grades K through 3^rd standards. Take a look at the webinar here. Kathy Muncy, who is very knowledgeable on the subject, gives some great information and ways to apply foundational reading skills.

If you’re interested in learning more or you have questions, leave a comment or email me, I would love to help or direct you to some resources.

So summer is coming to an end, and your children are either already back, or are heading back to school. It could be that they are heading to school for the first time, changing to another school such as high school, or simply moving up into another year. The transition from home to school is always a transition for the whole family, no matter what age your children are. Summer is great family time, but routines can become lax and bedtime routines and early morning starts are a hard adjustment to get back to sometimes.

Parents are often glad to have the routine back and will miss the children when they are back at school, but as we all know, school is an important rite of passage and education for our offspring.

Here are some tips to ease the transition:

Reading over the summer may have become more relaxed, I know from experience that children often don’t want to read over the holidays, with so many other things to grab their attention, but it is important to try to engage them in books over the summer. Bedtime stories should be a daily thing no matter what, and is a great time for family bonding too. Libraries are treasure troves for children to pick the stories and books that they want to read, and keep them interested. Is your son not wanting to read, but loves sharks? Take him to pick some shark fact books, or even a story book containing a shark – Shark in the Park is a great example, and the children learn without even realising it – great for all!

Nature walks are always great too – no matter the weather, there is always opportunities for exploring, fresh air and learning about the outside world. Taking their bikes or skateboards is not a chore, and if it gets their behinds off the games consoles and sofas, all the better!

Talking about their new school, teachers and/or classrooms is also a great way of keeping school in their minds, and preparing them for the often daunting next step in their school life.

There are a great deal of excellent books out there, from sticker books to more grown up ones, all talking about what happens at school and discussing the school day. Uniform shopping and school supply buying is also something that can be done as a family, letting children choose their own backs and lunchboxes where appropriate can help them feel a part of their changes and help their enthusiasm for school.

There are always opportunities to keep children learning, from counting cars whilst out on a bus, to reading signs and measuring out ingredients for baking following a recipe book – all great fun and educational.

School is always a big step for parents and children – be prepared for your children to be tired and grumpy the first couple of weeks, as their bodies and brains adjust to their new routine. After school, try not to ask too many questions – give your child a chance to rest – decompress when they get home and relax – after all, when you get in from work, sometimes all you want is 5 minutes feet up time with a cup of coffee. Children are the same, let them watch a bit of TV, go in the garden or simply have a healthy snack and a sit down.

Talk to your children about any anxieties they may have and keep on top of homework and school schedules and events – the more organised you are, the more organised your children will learn to be.

Try to keep a positive outlook on the experience, and spend some quality time when they are home, reading books, watching a film or having a nice dinner at the dinner table. Above all, school is fun!

I knew even in kindergarten something was different in the way I perceived and learned things.  I was a tactical learner.  Of course, I hadn’t a clue why or how I was like this; I just knew, somehow, I was different.

Even at this young age I started to stress and have headaches and stomach aches.   Discovering I had to work 2 to 4 times harder than the other kids just to keep my head above water with my grades was a real rainbow killer.  I was frustrated and angry as a child not knowing why this was happening to me. Why was I different?

I had other diversities that played a large part.  I had Iren Syndrome, I was left-handed, and I had a terrible time keeping focused on any task for more than a few minutes.  Oh, and did I mention I was hard of hearing?  I was tone deaf. Oh yeah, I was extremely shy and stuttered.  What is that old joke?  They should have named me “Lucky”.

In the late 1950’s and early 1970’s, no real testing or comprehension of these disorders were realized and/or acknowledged in public schools, much less anywhere else in the world.  The standard visual and educational tests which have been used for decades are outdated.  They weren’t intended to detect these types of disorders, as a consequence so many students were (still are!) being either misdiagnosed as having no problems or being below average in intelligence. We have a long way to go but at least we are starting down a new path that will help improve quality of life for more people.

My dad moved us a lot throughout my childhood due to his work.  I hated it but also loved it at the same time.  I hated it for all the obvious reasons a kid does moving on to a new school.  But I loved it too, as I hoped that I could start over once again, with a clean slate.  Nobody would know that I wasn’t like them in the way I perceived things around me or learned in my old special way.

But, that hope was soon smashed.  The dreaded reading in front of the class: As soon as I started to read, the class started their snickering and all the other things kids can do to make you feel that much smaller.  I was ridiculed by all; even the teachers at times would say to the class that I was a “slow reader” or even I was lazy and/or dim witted.

You can image my popularity and self esteem seemed to be lower than a snails’ belly.  My friends throughout my school years could be counted on one hand.  The teachers at many schools that I attended throughout my early years used a ruler to hit my left hand and told me if I didn’t learn to use my right, I would turn out to be a nothing.  I was punched, hit, and verbally abused still by other teachers.  Looking back on it now I can only take a weird sense of comfort in that they really believed they were “helping” me to become a better person; after all they were trained  by the educational systems at great universities, right? .  They were taught to take this approach to “teach” their students the proper ways to improve their lives.  At that time I had pure hate for them, but later, when I was an adult and comprehended how the system functioned, I realized they were only carrying out what they were told/trained to do. I have made peace with that part of my life and moved on.

After a short time, in most classes I become a product of the “special” group, which entailed being separated from the rest of the class.  Not really getting any real connection or guidance with the teacher other than a periodic “check in” by them to see if we were not goofing off,  we were just considered a nuisance and really shouldn’t be there wasting valuable money and the educational systems time.  The law required that we be there, so the teachers wanted  the appearance that we were studying.

I drifted through grade school, junior high, and then high school, counting the days that I was out of this hellish purgatory of people that didn’t want my “kind” there anyway.  I swore that I was done with this type of schooling when I graduated.  After I left high school my resolve was just this:  proving “them” wrong.  I worked with a defiant attitude that I’d show any and everyone that I wasn’t stupid and that I could succeed in life.  I will forever remember what the last principal said to me while standing in his office on the last day of school before graduating ceremonies, “Roberts, you will never make anything of you

r life; you are stupid and a real loser.”

I began a self help program to improve myself academically.  I worked feverishly at improving my reading skills.  I read anything and everything I could get my hands on.  Math was my hardest area.  Years later, I had a friend that was head of the math department at the university.  He said that I had the worst “math anxiety” that he had ever seen of any student in his 30+ years of teaching.

Self-educating requires self-discipline.   It’s hard enough for a regular student so you can imagine for a person with many extra problems to cope with, the challenge was certainly high.  I had to read most things 3 or 4 times before I comprehended the material.  I knew that Tactical learning was my strongest suit, but the real world worked in memorization and visual first and  tactical learning last.   I practiced untold hours improving my memorization skills and honing my visual ability skills.

During this time I worked at many different jobs throughout Alaska.  I prided myself in doing the very best and then adding 10% more for good measure.  Because of the barrage of negative brainwashing I received going to school, I just couldn’t shake this stigma or labeling.  I always had this cloud hanging over my head and heart that I was “stupid” and way lower than the average person.  I was my worst enemy even after I got older and knew better.  Typically human; that’s what I was.

Through the years I had owned a company.  It was large enough that I had many employees.  I also returned to school and have over 130 credit hours at the university.  My IQ was tested in my later years and proved to be 135.  When I took the test I really didn’t want to do it so I didn’t give it my all.  I probably could have made a higher score but I still had that stigma of being stupid haunting me in the back of my mind.

In conclusion:   Our teachers are the artist that sculpts our children; guiding them towards their future and destiny.  The highest quality of training should be mandatory for teaching and have the very best tools available so they may succeed in their undertaking.  Thankfully more governments, scientists in medical fields, and educators around the world have started focusing on research in these areas.  The medical community, in many countries has acknowledged these conditions as real medical disorders. Giving credence to these disorders; hopefully we will see more and more attention, research, and solutions to the problems facing people that have developmental disorders.

Keeping your child engaged whilst building their literacy skills is very easy if not pushed all the time. It has to be fun! Often, if a child is enjoying quality time with a person and having a great time, then they will not even realize that they are learning!

* Using their favorite books and nursery rhymes teaches them the pattern and layout of words – makes it fun! My little one’s favorites are The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Dr Seuss (great for literacy!) and The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson. Favorite nursery rhymes are Humpty Dumpty, Once I Caught a Fish Alive etc.

*Flashcards are always great for literacy – the ones with pictures on one side are ideal for the younger ones, and the more you repeat them the better. Make it into a game by forming a story with the pictures, or matching items together i.e. fork and spoon, cat and fish.

*Catching a ball – do the Alphabet ball game – either take turns to catch and go through the alphabet, or for the older ones, every time you catch the ball you pick an animal or object for that letter i.e. A for aardvark, B for bear, and C for Crab. Great fun and practices hand-eye co-ordination too!

*Anything can be a tool for writing with – you can practice letters in sand, bath bubbles (foam letters for the tiles are an awesome product, my kids love them) when you are baking, on paper, anywhere on the go! Make it fun and it will become second nature to you all, and teaching them young is very important. Any head start you can give your child the better!

We had a sunny day in the garden last week, and I let my boys loose with the chalk on our patio – they loved it! No mess, no fuss and they are learning whilst having a blast, and I got to sit in the sun for a while too!

Libraries often have reading schemes to join for free for the children, and have a special one for over the summer – great incentive for your kids to use the library, practice reading and writing, and learn to love books. Libraries often have story time sessions too – check local press for details.

*All kids love movies and computer games – use this to your advantage and download educational apps – but limit the time they spend on them of course. There are a great variety of quality free apps to teach children. Movies are often born from books, capitalize on this by getting books that tie in with the movies – i.e. children love the new Lorax film? Take this opportunity to introduce them to the full Dr. Suess library. Fairy tale classics are timeless, and children will always love them, i.e. Shrek and Puss and Boots are all born from fairy tales.

Practically any game can be used to improve literacy skills if engaged correctly – have fun, experiment and most of all, enjoy spending time with your child.

From the time I was little, it was obvious I was different.  I had difficulty remembering left and right, and it was a mystery to me how other kids tied their shoes so effortlessly.  Velcro helped me hide my inability to tie my shoes, but there was no such invention to help me hide the fact that I could not read.  I tried very hard to see what everyone wanted me to see on those white pages dripping with black markings, but try as I might, I could not do it.

The other kids felt I needed to have my learning difference beaten out of me physically and emotionally.  Needless to say, their methods were less than effective.  My self-esteem plummeted.  I felt different and alone, especially since there didn’t seem to be any other dyslexics outside of those in my family.

Resources like Reading Horizons are absolutely critical toward helping children with dyslexia learn to read.  While the children are learning, however, it is important that they receive the necessary support from their family, teachers and peers in order to truly succeed.

I searched for a support group for children with dyslexia, but all of the support groups were for parents and teachers.  There were no support groups for the people who need it most: the children who are struggling with dyslexia.

I decided to start an organization that would provide information and support to children and teens with dyslexia.  Dyslexic Kids began as a website, DyslexicKids.net, with tools, resources and encouragement for kids and teens.  It has grown quite a bit in just two short years.  I now post news and information each weekday on most of the social networks, and I provide free tutoring for children with learning differences.  Perhaps most importantly, I established a local support group that meets monthly, and I have an online support group for kids and teens from across the globe.  Both support groups provide a safe place where we can learn from and support each other.

No child should ever feel alone, especially when they are dealing with a learning difference that affects every aspect of their life.  It is my hope that Dyslexic Kids will continue to help children with dyslexia realize that they are not alone and that, with the right tools and support, they can and will succeed.

Scott Forsythe, age 16, founder of Dyslexic Kids

The International Dyslexia Association defines dyslexia as a learning disability that impairs a person’s ability to read, write and spell. Some dyslexics experience other symptoms such as trouble comprehending math, poor coordination or vision problems. Dyslexia is manageable and doesn’t have to hinder success in life, and this is clearly proven by the stories of famous, accomplished dyslexics who overcame their learning challenges and became household names through their achievements and talents. Here are five incredible examples.

1. Charles Schwab

With a net worth of $3 billion dollars, few people would debate Charles Schwab’s success. He graduated from Stanford with an economics degree and started what was to become one of the world’s leading brokerage and banking companies. What most people don’t know is that he is dyslexic. He struggled at Stanford and reportedly flunked English twice. When recalling his attempt to memorize passages from Chaucer, he claims that he couldn’t even get past four words. Schwab wasn’t diagnosed until the age of 40. He explains that his experience with dyslexia led him to develop other capabilities. His advice to others, including dyslexics, is to focus on what you do well and work twice as hard.

2. Steven Spielberg

Unquestionably one of the most successful directors in Hollywood, Steven Spielberg has battled dyslexia his entire life, but he didn’t gain an official diagnosis until 2007. Spielberg credits his parents’ unwavering support for his endurance through his school years and says that he never felt like a victim. He turned his dyslexia into a creative advantage by working elements of himself into his characters. Although it may take him twice as long as others to read a script, he considers it a pleasurable experience to be savoured and not just something to get through.

3. Bruce Jenner

Gold medal winner Bruce Jenner describes his dyslexia as his greatest gift. Diagnosed at a young age, Jenner felt that he needed to excel at sports to set himself apart from others. He has been an Olympian, an actor, an author and an entrepreneur. Now a motivational speaker, he spreads his positive message to dyslexic children and their parents. Jenner is also the host of the documentary “Demystifying Dyslexia,” which explains the use of modern learning techniques and tools for dyslexic students.

4. Whoopie Goldberg

Only a few people have received an Oscar, a Tony, an Emmy and a Grammy award, and Whoopie Goldberg is one of them. She has played roles in more than 150 films. Goldberg has also enjoyed success as a singer, songwriter, comedienne, talk show and radio host, political activist and author. Looking at her amazing success and popularity, it is hard to believe that as a child, she considered herself abnormally slow. She wasn’t slow; she was dyslexic. Fortunately, her strength of character and extraordinary talent helped her pull through the difficult years of her youth and fulfill her dreams. Goldberg’s big break, her role in “The Color Purple,” was given to her by fellow dyslexic Steven Spielberg.

5. Henry Winkler

Best known as “the Fonz,” his character on the show “Happy Days,” Henry Winkler boasts a 30-year successful career in acting, directing and producing. You’d never suspect that he carries memories of a childhood filled of struggle and self-doubt due to undiagnosed dyslexia. Although his desire to be an actor developed early in life, he was unable to participate in school plays because of low grades. Despite his learning difficulties, he persevered and crafted the career he dreamed of, often improvising lines or inserting his own jokes into the scripts he struggled to read. His sheer talent hid his weaknesses easily. Winkler was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 31. He is now the author of a series of successful children’s books in which the hero, Hank Zipzer, has dyslexia. Winkler claims that the books’ characters are often based on his own memories.

Adversity as a Tool

Given the impressive achievements of so many famous dyslexics, it’s easy to see why some people refer to their dyslexia as a gift. A condition that presents challenges also bestows excellent coping and problem-solving skills that serve as valuable adjuncts to traditional education. With increased awareness of the condition, better teaching techniques, emotional support and exposure to positive role models, today’s dyslexic children have every reason to believe they can fulfill their dreams and enjoy the best life has to offer.

In this post I want to give you a better understanding of what an Orton Gillingham Approach is and how to implement it into your instruction at home.

What is an Orton-Gillingham Approach?

The approach was created because of research done in 1920s by two individuals, Samuel Torrey Orton and Anna Gillingham, who largely studied reading failure and language processing difficulties. In their research they found eight key instructional principles that helped a struggling reader become successful.

What Orton and Gillingham found was that instruction for a struggling reader must be:

• Language-Based
  The Orton-Gillingham approach is based on a technique of studying and teaching language, understanding the nature of human language, the mechanisms involved in learning, and the language-learning processes in individuals.
• Multisensory
  Orton-Gillingham teaching sessions are action oriented with auditory, visual, and kinesthetic elements reinforcing each other for optimal learning. The student learns spelling simultaneously with reading.
• Structured, Sequential, Cumulative
  The Orton-Gillingham teacher introduces the elements of the language systematically. Students begin by reading and writing sounds in isolation. Then they blend the sounds into syllables and words. Students learn the elements of language, e.g., consonants, vowels, digraphs, blends, and diphthongs, in an orderly fashion. They then proceed to advanced structural elements such as syllable types, roots, and affixes. As students learn new material, they continue to review old material to the level of automaticity. The teacher addresses vocabulary, sentence structure, composition, and reading comprehension in a similar structured, sequential, and cumulative manner.
• Cognitive
  When using the Orton-Gillingham approach, students learn about the history of the English language and study the many generalizations and rules that govern its structure. They also learn how best they can learn and apply the language knowledge necessary for achieving reading and writing competencies.
• Flexible
  At best, Orton-Gillingham teaching is diagnostic-prescriptive in nature. Always the teacher seeks to understand how an individual learns and to devise appropriate teaching reading strategies.
• Emotionally Sound
  In every lesson, the student experiences a high degree of success and gains confidence as well as skill. Learning becomes a rewarding and happy experience.

(for more information on the Orton Gillingham Approach click here)

How do you use the Orton-Gillingham Method in your own home instruction?

Recently Shantell Barrett and I created a webinar series called, “The Parents Guide to Teaching Reading” helping parents use these principles in their reading instruction. It is based on the Reading Horizons curriculum, but if understood, the overall framework can be used in the home without purchasing materials or software. I’d love for you to go through this webinar series and gain the knowledge to teach your struggling reader using a proven and effective system.

Once you’ve gone through this webinar series and have begun to apply it in your home we have another free resource to help you retain the knowledge you’ve learned. It is called our Parent Phonics Training Online Workshop and it is an interactive learning tool to refresh any of the skills you’ve learned during the webinar series.

I hope you have found this post helpful. If you have any questions or would like to know more about a particular topic discussed here please leave a comment or reach out to me through email.

In this blog post I want to introduce you to our YouTube channel and give you some of the videos and playlists I’ve found helpful from it: A Strategy for Teaching Students with Processing Disorders, Teaching Reading Tips Playlist (has 34 instructional videos), Dyslexia Help for Parents Playlist (has 14 instructional videos), and an In Your Own Backyard video of a young woman who struggles with reading.

This first video will show you just why Reading Horizons and this blog is so passionate about multi-scensory learning. Pay attention to what Shantell says about the Feedback Loop.

As you go through this Teaching Tip Playlist search for a topic you don’t know about. I hope this helps to make you aware of some things you did not know you did not know! =)

Reading Instruction is made even more difficult when you have a child with a learning disadvantage such as dyslexia. This Dyslexia Help Playlist gives helpful knowledge and instruction for parents who have a dyslexic child.

Finally, here is an inspiring video of a young woman who has overcome her struggles with dyslexia by embracing her very visual mind.

I hope you’ve taken away something from these videos and if you are interested in looking into more stop by our YouTube channel!

 With the Easter holidays looming at the end of the month, families budgets tight, and the weather unpredictable: one question on the lips of parents is what can we do on a rainy day at home?

Books could be the answer, and if you can brave the outdoors for a library trip, then all the better – it’s free!

The children’s book market is huge and there are so many titles to choose from, jigsaw books, interactive ones, noisy books and craft books to name but a few. There is bound to be something to please every little boy and girl and with World Book Day coming up, you can use your vouchers and/or visit a book fair and stock up.

Here are a few of my favorites:

The Highway Rat by Julia Donaldson – encourages children to recognise the rhythm and rhyme of words

Usborne Easter Things to Make and Do – Fiona Watt

Hugless Douglas and the Big Sleep – David Melling

Time indoors doesn’t have to be boring or taken up with electrical devices. Why not do a jigsaw book together, make something out of a baking or craft book, or simply enjoy reading the book together. You could re-enact a scene from your child’s favorite book, dress up like your favorite characters or draw a picture of them for your wall.

The only limit to books is your imagination, and we all know a child’s imagination is endless. Next time it’s a rainy day, make the most of being indoors with your child and their favorite book.

Books are an essential part of a child’s life. They help them learn to read, to communicate, to learn about the world, and a good book can feed a child’s imagination to no end. An early reader is often a reader for life, so give your child a head start and open a book.

There are two great blog posts Reading Horizons has that explain the reason for multi-sensory instruction and how to properly apply a multi-sensory approach to teaching reading. Those two posts are: The Connection Between Vocabulary and Reading Skills and A Simple Strategy for Teaching Struggling Readers.

Unfortunately, they are two separate posts and they are on our blog for schools and institutions, not The Reading Corner Blog. For this reason I’ve created this post and combined what is addressed in both to create one super informative post for homeschoolers, mothers, and those of us without an education degree!

It builds the connections that allow us to put it all together! Language is a complex subject; it uses sensory outputs (writing and speaking) as well as sensory inputs (reading and listening) and in order to learn to be a fluent and comprehensive reader we need to be able to connect all the modalities language uses together. Shantell Barrett, a reading teacher, trainer, and dyslexia specialist, explains that connection and its importance quite nicely in this small video clip.

Now that we know the reason for multi-sensory reading instruction, what is the proper way to use it? Well, it is through the process of dictation; the process you use to make the connections there are between reading, writing, speaking, and listening to the English language. Here is a four step dictation process you can use with your child:

Step 1: You (as the teacher) say the word twice (this can be a word you are having your child read, or a word that is part of their spelling or vocabulary list).

Step 2: Have your child say the word back twice.

Step 3: Have your child write the word once.

Step 4: Have your child read the word once (by having them mark the word, decode it, and then read it).

Here is another quick video of Shantell Berrett explaining this process and the results she and others have had when using it. Enjoy!